Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka has urged President Bola Tinubu to revisit the unresolved murders of Dele Giwa, Bola Ige, and Kudirat Abiola. Speaking in Lagos during a Democracy Day event on Saturday, Soyinka said reopening these cases could finally bring clarity and justice to families and citizens still seeking answers.
He noted that several Nigerians, both at home and abroad, may have key information about the circumstances surrounding the killings and should be encouraged to come forward. According to him, addressing these politically linked deaths is essential to healing past wounds and strengthening the country’s democracy.
Soyinka made these remarks while reflecting on Nigeria’s June 12 Democracy Day and President Tinubu’s recent address to the National Assembly. During the address, the president announced national honours for several democracy activists, a move Soyinka praised, though he highlighted that some important names were left out.
He announced that he would dedicate his own national honour to the late Dr. Beko Ransom-Kuti, calling him a fearless advocate for human rights, justice, and democracy. Ransom-Kuti, who faced repeated detentions under military rule, was a key figure in Nigeria’s pro-democracy fight.
Soyinka also warned against rewriting or minimizing the brutal events of the June 12 era. He reminded the public that many people were killed, tortured, or imprisoned during the military’s crackdown on democratic movements, and said their sacrifices must not be forgotten.
